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Easter, or Pâques, sees a whole host of April activities for the ‘vacances de printemps’ or Easter school holidays that start on the French Riviera after class on Friday 7 April with kids returning to school on Monday 24 April.

Family holiday activities for Easter on the French Riviera

There is plenty to do during the Easter school holidays with restaurants having Easter breakfasts, farms having egg hunts and many businesses hosting creative workshops for egg decorating or chocolate-making.

As well as themed Easter activities, kids of any age can enjoy playing on the beach as the weather is usually favorable or a trip to the Lérins Islands before the crowds arrive on the mainland in summer.

Take a family trip to a hilltop village and visit the local markets; stall holders often give polite children a sample of something tasty like a piece of cheese or gâteau, and many markets have buskers and street performers. There’s usually stalls selling things such as key rings, sweet pastries, hair ties or vintage die-cast cars for spending pocket money.

Easter Egg Hunts and Other Easter activities on the French Riviera

The French love chocolate, so expect everything and anything chocolate including supermarkets selling all the foil-wrapped eggs and chocolatiers with beautiful window displays! However, there are lots of activities that don’t revolve around chocolate only.

Monday 04 to Friday 15 April: At CandyPlay Choco in Plan de Grasse, there is 2 weeks of creative (morning) and gourmet (afternoon) workshops.

Sunday 16 April: From 10am to midday, a free treasure hunt for kids with a chocolate gift at the end! Held at the Museum of Art and History (MAHP), Les Jardins du MIP and the Musée International de la Parfumerie (MIP).

Easter 2017 treasure hunt at the museums of Grasse/Mouans Sartoux

La Colle-sur-Loup

Saturday 08 April and Saturday 15 April: Gourmandises de Paques from 9 am to 1 pm. Note: The egg hunt is €3 per child.

Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer have a whole programme of Easter delights from 15-17 April including Easter menus and family-friendly activities. For the full list, go to ‘Easter 2017 with Monte-Carlo SBM.’

Mouans Sartoux

Sunday 16 April: From 10am to midday, a free treasure hunt for kids with a chocolate gift at the end! Held at the MIP Gardens (JMIP).

Nice

Saturday 15th to Monday 17 April: At Parc Phoenix, there will be 2 egg hunts: 1 for children up to 6 years old, and one for 6-12 year olds. Toddlers are provided with a basket and must find eggs hidden under the straw which they exchange for chocolate eggs on the stand at the exit of the park. Kids aged from 6 years, have a treasure hunt with animal and floral clues that lead to big numbered eggs where they can win chocolate eggs. Park entrance fee unchanged.

Monday 17 April: Have a continental breakfast from 9am-11.30am with the Easter bunny at Hard Rock Café Nice with an Egg Hunt, a creative workshop, a puppet show and the chance to find a Golden Ticket to win a free birthday party. Reservations essential, more details at this link ‘Easter 2017 at Hard Rock Café Nice’.

16 and 17 April: The Village des Fous will have egg catapults every hour at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm – catch the eggs in the air or find them when they land on the ground! Egg hunt is included in admission price to the park. Note: This event is unconfirmed.

Easter activities elsewhere in France

If you’re visiting France at Easter there are regional events happening everywhere, check with the local Tourism Office for a schedule of what’s happening in the city or town you plan to visit. Here are a few Easter 2017 events beyond the French Riviera:

Arles hosts an Easter Festival (Feria de Pâques) from 14-17 April 2017 with the opening of the French bullfighting season. There are bullfights in the Arena and lots of activities.

The Feria de Pâques in Arles is an annual festival held at Easter

France’s biggest Easter egg hunt is held at the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte in Maincy an hour’s drive from Paris, with 35,000 eggs hidden in André Le Nôtre’s garden, egg decorating workshops and a musketeers show. Visit on Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, 10am-6pm. Watch the video below for what to expect (video courtesy of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte).

Provins, located 80km southeast of Paris is a UNESCO-listed town that will host an Easter egg hunt on 16th and 17th April 2017. Families can enjoy the egg hunt, and afterwards explore the town which is remarkable for its 58 listed monuments and medieval architecture as well as falconry and knights shows.

Provins, a UNESCO-listed town will host Easter activities

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Easter school holidays are getting closer so here’s Access Riviera’s round up of things to do at Easter (Pâques) including free community Easter Egg hunts, chocolate workshops and themed brunches on the French Riviera:

Sunday 05 April and Monday 06 April at the Monaco Oceanarium: Easter Egg Hunt from 10am-midday and 3.15pm-4.15pm (entry fee applies)

NICE

Wednesday 23 March at Parc Carol de Roumanie from 2.30pm: Free afternoon with Easter Egg Hunt for 5-10 years at 2.30pm and Easter Egg Hunt for 3-4 years at 3pm. Face painting, bouncy castle and peche aux canards.

26, 27 and 28 March at Parc Phoenix: Toddlers can hunt for the eggs in the straw; older kids have an Egg Hunt with numbered eggs that correspond to chocolate prizes. There will also be a petit train, trampoline, bouncy castle, free marionette show at 11am, 2pm, 4.30pm and 5.30pm. Adults €3 entry; kids are free.

Monday 28 March from 10am-3pm : From 10am-1pm, Easter workshops (cost €2 to €5 each with pre-registration required). From 11am-midday, free Egg Hunt for 2-6 years (in the straw) and 7-11 years in the streets – children participating in the Egg Hunts must be registered. Information and registration at the l’Office de Tourisme : 04 93 32 86 9504 93 32 86 95

SAINT MARTIN VÉSUBIE

Monday 28 March from 10am: 2 separate groups – Free egg hunt for under 6 years and free egg hunt for kids 6-11 years at Parc de la Châtaigneraie. Register onsite the hour beforehand.